Mammography providers upset about the high cost of malpractice litigation have been rumbling about launching a boycott against radiologists who testify for plaintiffs in malpractice cases. But things may have gone too far in Florida, where a malpractice case is in limbo after one of the defendants sent an article supporting a boycott to a prominent radiologist testifying for the plaintiffs.
Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Mammography providers upset about the high cost of malpractice litigation have been rumbling about launching a boycott against radiologists who testify for plaintiffs in malpractice cases. But things may have gone too far in Florida, where a malpractice case is in limbo after one of the defendants sent an article supporting a boycott to a prominent radiologist testifying for the plaintiffs.
The fact that radiologists testify against their imaging brethren has long irked members of the profession, in particular those who practice mammography screening. Many view these expert witnesses as hypocrites who know that mammography screening is an imperfect science, yet continue to earn money by passing judgment on their colleagues for cases they might have missed themselves.
The sentiment is understandable, but a court of law might not be the best place to raise the issue. Defendants in the Florida malpractice suit found that out the hard way when someone from their practice sent an article urging a boycott to an expert witness for the plaintiffs. The plaintiff’s attorneys leveled charges of witness tampering, and the case is now in limbo, bogged down by charges and counter-charges related to the letter.
Read all about it in our Women’s Digital Community, at http://womens.auntminnie.com. And when you’re done, let us know what you think about the issue in our General Radiology Discussion Group, where a debate on the topic has already started.
